JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP

GUIDE

CAREER DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

1311 Miller Drive

Room A-112

Coral Gables, FL 33146

Ph: 305.284.2668

Fax: 305.284.6213

Email: cdo@law.miami.edu

www.law.miami.edu/cdo

I. WHAT IS A JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP?

A judicial internship is an unpaid position in which a law student acts as a quasi-law clerk to a

judge. Judicial internships are available during the summer, as well as during the fall and

spring semesters. Although an intern's responsibilities may vary depending on the court or

judge, the internship experience provides an invaluable opportunity for law students to view the

inner workings of the judicial process. Many judges assign interns tasks similar to those that

their law clerks perform. As an intern, it is likely that you will attend judicial proceedings, hone

your legal research and writing skills by crafting bench memos or even drafts of opinions, and

have the opportunity to discuss legal issues with the judge and the judge’s law clerk(s). Judicial

internships are generally unpaid, but most former judicial interns agree that the experience

outweighs any brief monetary loss. As discussed in greater detail below, you may also be

eligible to receive academic credit for your internship under the Career Development Office’s

(“CDO”) Externship Program.

This Guide answers questions you may have about the internship experience and how to apply

for internships. For additional information regarding judicial internships please contact your

CDO advisor.

If you intern for a judge and enjoy the experience, we encourage you to seek out post-graduate

positions as a judicial law clerk. For a detailed review of post-graduate judicial clerkships, please

review the CDO’s Judicial Clerkships Guide available in the CDO or on the CDO’s website.

Those interested in post-graduate judicial clerkships should also contact the Director of Judicial

Clerkships, Karen Warren, at kwarren@law.miami.edu.

II. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP AND

EXTERNSHIP?

There is very little, if any, substantive difference between a judicial “internship” and a judicial

“externship.” Essentially, the term “externship” connotates that the student is receiving

academic credit for his/her work with the judge. For simplicity purposes, the term “intern” and

“internship” are used throughout this Guide, however the material relates equally to judicial

“externs” and “externships.”

The CDO’s Externship Program provides a mechanism for students to obtain academic credit

while working for a judge. Under the Judicial Externship Program, students are required to

attend a weekly class, which constitutes the academic component of the externship. As part of

the academic component students must complete and submit written assignments in addition to

any work that is assigned directly by the judge. Students who intern or extern for a judge should

use the title “Judicial Intern” or “Judicial Extern” on their resume. Do not use the title “Judicial

Clerk” or “Law Clerk,” as those titles refer to post-graduate, full time positions.

If you secure a position with a judge you should determine, based on your academic credit needs

and time available in your schedule, whether you want to convert your judicial internship into a

for-credit externship. For information regarding the Externship Program, please visit

http://www.law.miami.edu/career-development-office/externship-program.php?op=3. If you

have questions, you may contact the Director of the Miami Law Externship Program, Sajani

Desai Granquist, at sdesai@law.miami.edu.

III. TO WHOM SHOULD I APPLY?

Judicial internships are available with federal and state court judges. Cases pending in federal

court will involve issues dealing with federal constitutional and statutory law. A number of

general common law cases arising under diversity jurisdiction will also form part of a federal

judge's docket. State courts, in contrast to federal courts, tend to have a broader variety of cases.

A state court judicial intern may research issues ranging from child custody or involuntary

manslaughter to water rights and contract disputes.

1. FEDERAL COURT INTERNSHIPS

Internship opportunities exist within the federal court system with the following

types of judges. For an overview of the federal courts, please visit

http://www.uscourts.gov/FederalCourts.aspx.

U.S. District Judges – A federal district court (the trial level court in the federal system)

is an excellent place to work for a semester. A typical federal district judge may have a

few hundred cases on his or her docket. Most district judges have their interns do some or

all of the following things: attend hearings and trials; conduct legal research; prepare

research memoranda; and write rough drafts of opinions and orders. You will have the

opportunity to see how real cases are managed, how motions are argued and decided, and

how jury trials are lost and won. When trials heat up, you are in the thick of things that

attorneys often view only from the outside (if at all), including rulings on evidentiary

matters and jury selection.

U.S. Magistrate Judges – Federal magistrate judges are appointed by the district judges

within their judicial districts. Magistrate judges serve eight-year terms renewable at the

discretion of the U.S. District Court. Magistrate judges are “paired” with one or more

district judges. For a list of pairings within the Southern District of Florida, please visit https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/adminOrders/2017/2017-38.pdf

In civil proceedings, the magistrate judge enters orders on non-dispositive pre-trial

motions, such as motions to compel discovery and motions in limine. In some instances,

district judges will also refer dispositive matters to the magistrate judges, such as motions

to dismiss and motions for summary judgment. The magistrate judge issues reports and

recommendations on referred motions and, in certain cases, proposes findings of fact. A

magistrate judge may determine any preliminary matters and conduct all necessary

evidentiary hearings or other proceedings arising in the exercise of his/her authority.

When all parties consent, a full-time magistrate judge may conduct any or all proceedings

in a civil case filed with the court and enter a final judgment. If you are interested in civil

litigation, interning for a magistrate judge can give you great hands-on training in the

discovery process.

In criminal proceedings, a magistrate judge administers oaths on criminal complaints,

issues search and arrest warrants, conducts preliminary hearings, tries persons accused

of misdemeanors (with district court authorization), enters orders on non-dispositive

pre-trial motions, issues reports and recommendations and, in certain cases, proposes

findings of fact. Magistrate judges also review state habeas corpus actions.

Accordingly, interning for a magistrate judge can also be a very useful experience if

you are interested in criminal law.

For more information on the role and authority of magistrate judges, please consult:

http://www.fmja.org/.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judges – Every federal district has a bankruptcy court. Bankruptcy

courts handle complex and interesting matters related to the ongoing operations of

businesses seeking bankruptcy protection. Bankruptcy court interns may deal with a

wide range of legal issues, ranging from union-management disputes to the settlement of

complex litigation claims. For these reasons, an internship with a bankruptcy judge can

be valuable even if you don’t plan to practice bankruptcy law.

U.S. Courts of Appeals Judges – Federal courts of appeals often do not take interns.

However, if you are able to find a federal appellate judge willing to hire you, this can also

offer an incredibly valuable internship experience. The lives of appellate court clerks, and

by extension, the interns, are usually less hustle-bustle and more cloistered than the lives

of those working in district courts. Appellate court clerks and interns typically read

briefs, do extensive legal research, write memoranda to the judge about upcoming cases,

attend oral arguments, and write rough drafts of opinions. You will not see trials as an

intern for a U.S. Court of Appeals, but you may have the opportunity to watch appellate

oral arguments.

2. STATE COURT INTERNSHIPS

Opportunities to intern for state court judges exist at the courts of appeals and trial court

levels. State court internships offer an excellent opportunity to develop solid legal skills

and make connections in the legal community. They are often particularly beneficial for

students who wish to work in prosecution, defense, or in certain areas of state law (e.g.

family law, criminal law, torts).

Contact information for state court hiring personnel from around the country is listed

in the Vermont Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures, which is available online

at http://www.vermontlaw.edu/careers/judicial-clerkship-guide. The Vermont Guide is

password protected. Please contact the CDO to obtain the username and password.

While the Vermont Guide is geared towards post-graduate clerkship hiring, the contact

information included within the guide can be utilized to inquire regarding internship

hiring at the state court level. IV. SPECIFIC INFORMATION REGARDING FLORIDA STATE COURTS

1. FLORIDA SUPREME COURT

Seven justices make up the Florida Supreme Court, which is located in Tallahassee. The

Chief Justice oversees the entire State Courts System. Opportunities to intern exist both

with the individual justices as well as with the Central Staff Office. These semester-long

internships are located at the Court in Tallahassee.

Students interested in interning for the Florida Supreme Court should apply through the

Florida Supreme Court Internship Program for Distinguished Florida Law Students.

Applications for the Program are solicited for the fall, spring and summer semesters. The

Court requires students to submit a character and fitness clearance letter from the Florida

Board of Bar Examiners in order to apply. For more information regarding the Florida

Supreme Court in general, please visit http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/index.html.

2. FLORIDA DISTRICT COURTS OF APPEAL

Florida’s intermediate courts of appeal are known as the “district” courts of appeal

(which is opposite of the federal system, where the trial courts are known as the district

courts and the intermediate appellate courts are known as the circuit courts). There are

five such districts that are headquartered in Tallahassee, Lakeland, Miami, West Palm

Beach, and Daytona Beach.

Most state district court judges take interns during the summers. Students should send

an application via U.S. mail to the chambers of each individual district court judge to

whom they would like to apply. The initial application should consist of a cover letter,

resume, and unofficial transcript. The judge may request a writing sample at a later

time.

Many state district court judges take interns during the academic year as well. Students

should contact the judge’s chambers and inquire whether the judge will be accepting

applications for the desired time period/semester. The CDO will also notify students

when we become aware of judges who are hiring interns.

The district courts of appeal can hear appeals from final judgments and can review

certain non-final orders. The district courts have the power to review final actions taken

by state agencies in carrying out the duties of the executive branch of government. The

district courts also have constitutional authority to issue the extraordinary writs of

certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus, as well as all other

writs necessary to the complete exercise of their jurisdiction.

As a general rule, decisions of the district courts of appeal represent the final appellate

review of litigated cases. A person who is displeased with a district court's express

decision may ask for review in the Florida Supreme Court and then in the United States

Supreme Court, but neither tribunal is required to accept the case for further review. Most

are denied. For more information regarding the Florida district courts of appeal, please

visit http://www.flcourts.org/courts/dca/dca.shtml.

3. FLORIDA CIRCUIT AND COUNTY COURTS

In Florida, trials are conducted in “circuit” or “county” courts, depending upon the type

of case and/or amount in controversy. The majority of jury trials in Florida take place

before one judge sitting as judge of the circuit court. There are twenty circuit courts in

Florida. The circuit courts are sometimes referred to as courts of general jurisdiction, in

recognition of the fact that most criminal and civil cases originate at this level. Circuit

courts also hear appeals from county court cases. Thus, circuit courts are simultaneously

the highest trial courts and the lowest appellate courts in Florida's judicial system.

Many circuit and county court judges throughout Florida take interns. For a list of all twenty

judicial circuits within Florida, please visit http://www.flcourts.org/courts/circuit/circuit.shtml.

Locally, within the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, students may apply for an

internship by sending an application via U.S. mail to the chambers of each individual

judge to whom they would like to apply. The application should consist of a cover letter

and resume. For a complete list of the circuit and county court judges in Miami, please

visit: https://www.jud11.flcourts.org/About-the-Court/Judges/Judicial-Directory.

Finally, some circuit court staff attorney offices may also offer opportunities for law

students to intern (the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami, however, does not take

interns). The Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in particular runs a structured and very well

received summer internship program in which interns work under the General Counsel,

and are supervised directly by the court’s Staff Attorneys. Applications for that Program

are typically made available in late January and are due by early March. If you are

selected for an interview with the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit please contact Karen Warren

in the CDO so that she may assist you in preparing for the interview.

V. WHEN DO I APPLY?

The below table lists the suggested timetable for applying to the various judicial internships

described above, in addition to a few others. Please note that these timelines are approximate

and may vary from judge to judge.

Court/Program Approximate Application Timing

U.S. Circuit Courts Varies (few federal appellate court judges accept interns). At a minimum,

follow the timeline set forth below for U.S. District Courts.

U.S. District Courts Summer – Apply December/January (some judges prefer that 1Ls wait

until spring grades are released, while others will begin reviewing

applications and interviewing students before grades are released. Ask

your CDO advisor for the preferred timing guideline for each judge.)

Fall – Apply April/May Spring – Apply September/October

Florida Supreme Court

Internship Program for

Distinguished Florida

Law Students

Summer – Apply February

Fall – Apply April

Spring –Apply September

Florida District Courts

of Appeal

Summer – Apply December/January (some judges prefer that 1Ls wait

until spring grades are released, while others will begin reviewing

applications and interviewing students before grades are released. Ask your

CDO advisor for the preferred timing guideline for each judge.)

Fall – Apply June

Spring – Apply September/October

Florida Circuit and

County Courts

Summer – Apply February/March

Fall – Apply July

Spring – Apply December/January

Summer Judicial

Internship Diversity

Project. Nationwide

internship program.

Deadline is in January.

The ABA’s Section of

Litigation Judicial Intern

Opportunity Program

Summer – November (2Ls) and December (1Ls)

VI. HOW DO I APPLY?

In addition to the various application processes discussed above, in general, students can also

contact the judge’s chambers to inquire whether interns will be hired for the desired

semester/year. The suggested timing for those calls is listed in the above table. Contact

information for federal and state appellate court judges is available in the Judicial Yellow Book

and on court websites. See Appendix 1 for a list of online judicial directories.

VII. STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE FOR APPLYING TO MULTIPLE JUDGES

Every semester the CDO sends out an Excel spreadsheet with the contact information for all

of the federal and state appellate court judges in South Florida (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and

West Palm Beach) who hire interns. The spreadsheet contains all of the information needed

in order to address cover letters and envelope address labels to judges. In order to save time

in preparing your cover letters and envelope address labels, you can utilize Microsoft Office’s

Mail Merge tool. The Mail Merge tool will ask you to select a “data source” for the

information to be merged into your document (i.e. cover letter or label). You can use the

CDO’s Excel spreadsheet as your data source.

The following is a step-by-step approach to creating an Excel spreadsheet data source when

you will be applying to multiple judges outside of the South Florida area:

1. Use the Clerkship Module in Symplicity to select the judges to whom you will be

applying by checking the box next to their name (you will be required to complete a

short registration to gain access to the Clerkship Module). To access the Clerkships

Module, click on the “Clerkships” tab at the top of the page

2. Create “Favorites” lists for the different types of judges you will be applying to – i.e.

“Federal District Judges,” “Federal Magistrate Judges” and “State Appellate Court

Judges” – and export each of the lists as an Excel spreadsheet. You can export the

data by clicking the boxes next to the judges’ names and then clicking the “Export to

Excel” button at the top of the list of judges. At that point Excel will open and offer

you the option to open or save the Excel spreadsheet.

3. Save each of these separate spreadsheets within the same workbook (you can name

them by left clicking on the tab on the bottom of the page). Separating the types of

judges into different spreadsheets will allow you to tailor the text of the cover letter to

that particular type of judge. The CDO offers students a “template” spreadsheet/data

source to use, which ensures that the spreadsheet is properly formatted. Please

contact your CDO advisor if you need a copy of the template spreadsheet.

4. Once you have exported the data, delete the columns on the right-hand side of the

spreadsheets so that “Last_Name” is the final column in each of the spreadsheets.

Save and close the Excel workbook.

5. Write your cover letter (see below for information regarding how to draft and

properly format your cover letter). After you have written and saved your cover letter

in Word format, click on the “Mailings” tab at the top of the page. Select “Start Mail

Merge” and “Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard” at the bottom of the list. The Mail

Merge Wizard will then walk you through the process of how to format your mail

merge.

6. If you are applying to different types of judges with specifically tailored cover letters

(i.e. federal district, federal magistrate, state appellate), then repeat step 5 for each

type of judge.

VIII. APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Listed below are the documents typically required when applying for judicial internships. The

CDO recommends that you submit your applications in large, sealed envelopes with pre-printed

address and return address labels.

1. COVER LETTER

The judge and/or his or her staff (including present clerks) will probably read your cover

letter before they get to your writing sample. Therefore, your cover letter is your first

writing sample. A letter that is poorly organized or contains typographical errors will

reflect poorly on you as an applicant. Because a large number of students apply for these

positions, a sloppy cover letter will undoubtedly weed you out. Review the addressee

format guidelines in Appendix 2 and the cover letter sample in Appendices 3 and 4 when

preparing your letter to judges.

A cover letter should contain a maximum of three to four paragraphs and should fit on one

page. The cover letter should identify precisely who you are and the semester/year of the

internship you are seeking. You should identify what has motivated you to seek an

internship and what qualities make you a particularly attractive candidate, such as

research/writing skills, membership on a particular law review, exceptional academic

performance, or even a connection to the locality or judge. Keep in mind that judges look

for strong analytical skills, excellent writing, and proofreading skills. If you have prior work

experience, you can also delineate any skills you learned from those and indicate how those

skills would be applicable to an internship. Finally, you should indicate the application

materials that you have enclosed and thank the judge for his/her consideration.

2. RESUME

The CDO’s general resume guidelines apply to judicial internship applications. You should

list your GPA if it is over a 3.0 and emphasize your prior research and writing

experience, both legal and non-legal. Please review the sample resumes contained in the

CDO’s Resume Guide and email your resume to your CDO advisor for review prior to

sending your resume to judges.

3. TRANSCRIPT

It is usually perfectly acceptable to send judges an unofficial copy of your transcript. To do

so, simply cut and paste your course and grade information from Cane Link into a PDF

document. In rare instances, a judge might ask to see a copy of your undergraduate

transcript, in which case you may send a copy of your final undergraduate transcript. If you

are a 1L and are applying for a summer internship prior to the release of fall grades, then

you may consider including a copy of your unofficial undergraduate transcript as well.

*Please note that state court trial judges (circuit and county) typically do not require transcripts.

4. WRITING SAMPLE

The ideal writing sample resembles a judicial opinion: It presents a set of facts, sets forth

some principles of law, and applies the law to the facts to arrive at a reasoned conclusion.

In many cases your writing sample will consist of memorandum or brief prepared in your L-

Comm class, a Moot Court brief, or a memorandum that you may have prepared during your

summer employment. Ideally, the writing sample will be between 8 and 15 pages in length,

double spaced. Writing samples outside of this range are acceptable, but the further you

deviate from it, the more you risk that the judge will not get an appropriate sense of your

writing skills or will not read your entire sample.

It is imperative that you submit your work as a writing sample. Memos or briefs that have

been co-written with a partner, or heavily edited by journal staff members or employers,

may not be used as a writing sample. Each writing sample should be accompanied by a

cover page explaining (a) the sample’s original purpose (e.g., a legal writing class

assignment; a moot court brief; an internal memorandum for an employer; a court pleading);

(b) when and for whom the sample was written; (c) the extent of editing by any third party;

and (d) if the writing sample is an excerpt from a larger document, the nature of that larger

document, including issues addressed. See Appendix 5 for sample writing sample cover

pages.

Before using any work that you have done for an employer, be sure to clear with the

employer that your work can be submitted for this purpose. If you choose to use a

document produced for a real client, you must identify the steps taken (e.g., redactions;

changed names; consent obtained from a client or an employer) to preserve the confidential

or privileged nature of the document. Ultimately, concerns about confidentiality or

considerations of counseling or litigation strategy may make it inappropriate to use the

document as a writing sample, even if the document is available as a public record. Finally,

it is also inappropriate to use a document filed in a case then currently pending before the

court in which the internship is sought.

*Please note that state court trial judges (circuit and county) typically do not require writing

samples.

IX. INTERVIEWS AND OFFERS

1. INTERVIEWS

In anticipation of being called to interview with a judge, make sure that your voicemail

message sounds clear and professional. If a judge requests an interview, make yourself

available as soon as you possibly can. When scheduling your interview, try to obtain as

much information as possible regarding the interview, including the expected length and

exactly with whom you will be interviewing. It is not uncommon to interview with the

judge’s clerk(s) in addition to the judge. In fact, some judges have their clerk conduct the

initial round of interviews or leave the interviewing entirely to their clerks. Therefore,

use extra care to be courteous, accommodating and professional in all of your dealings

with the judge’s staff. The judge’s assistant, courtroom deputy, law clerks, etc… are all

interviewing you each and every time they interact with you. Remember this: while staff

cannot necessarily ensure that you get hired, they certainly can ensure that you DO NOT

get hired. Once you have scheduled your interview, you should immediately sign up for

a mock interview with a CDO advisor.

During the interview, the judge may ask you questions relating to why you went to law

school, why you want to intern for a judge, what courses you have enjoyed most or least

during law school or why you chose a particular topic on a paper submitted as a writing

sample. Accordingly, you should always be prepared to discuss, in depth, anything

included in your resume, cover letter or writing sample. You should also prepare a list of

questions for the judge and clerks ahead of time. See Appendices 6 and 7 for lists of

sample interview questions.

To prepare for the interview, you should read some of the opinions that the judge has

written and have a sense of the judge’s basic writing style. You also should know the

basics: when the judge went on the bench, who appointed him/her, other biographical

information, and the nature of the judge’s docket. Use the judicial resources listed in

Appendix 2 to find out biographical and other pertinent information about the judge.

Especially helpful in preparing for interviews with judges are Courtlink on LexisNexis

and the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary on Westlaw.

Dress as you would for a law firm interview. Bring extra copies of your resume, writing

sample, and transcript with you. You may also want to prepare a list of references in case

the judge asks for them. This list should include the reference’s name, address, email

address and phone number. Be sure to ask for permission to use someone as a reference, and

to give out that person’s phone number, before including him/her on your list. After the

interview, be sure to send thank you notes to the judge and anyone else who interviewed

you. You should send these notes within 24 hours of completing the interview.

2. OFFERS

Unlike many law firms, judges do not expect to wait very long for a decision on an offer.

Some judges demand an immediate answer while others give you some time to think it

over. As a general rule, you should accept a judge’s offer immediately rather than

ask for time to consider the decision. Usually, judges who are inclined to give you

some time to consider the offer will tell you that up front. Once you accept an offer to

intern, your decision is final. It is extremely bad form for you to renege on the

acceptance. If you accept an offer to be an intern, you should withdraw your pending

applications with other employers. For judges with whom you have interviewed (or with

whom you are scheduled to interview) but who have not yet gotten back to you with their

decisions, you must immediately call their chambers, say how honored you were to have

been considered, but report that you must withdraw your applications because you have

accepted another offer.

APPENDIX 1 – JUDICIAL RESOURCES

In-depth research will help you make a more informed decision on which judges to apply to

for internships. The following are available either online or in the law school or CDO libraries:

Alliance for Justice

http://www.afj.org/our-work/issues/judicial-selection Includes judicial vacancies and reports on gender and race of judges nationwide.

Almanac of the Federal Judiciary (In Law Library and on Westlaw) Volume 1: Profiles of U.S. District Court Judges

Volume 2: Profiles of U.S. Court of Appeals Judges

Contains biographical information, including publications, noteworthy rulings and lawyers’

evaluations on all federal judges.

Federal Judicial Center

www.fjc.gov

This website contains biographies of federal judges, landmark judicial legislation, topics of

judicial history and historic courthouses.

Federal Judiciary

www.uscourts.gov

Links to court websites and general information. Also, note Judicial Milestones at

http://www.uscourts.gov/judges-judgeships/judicial-milestones provides recent nominations,

confirmations and resignations.

The Federal Lawyer Magazine

http://www.fedbar.org/Publications/Copy%20of%20Judicial-Profile-Index.aspx Requires membership to Federal Bar Association to gain access to judicial profiles. Contains

an archive of “Judicial Profiles” of federal judges throughout the country. The profiles are

usually written by the judges’ law clerks or others who know the judge well, and thus they are

useful for learning “insider” information about judges. Contact Karen Warren in the CDO if

you would like to learn more about obtaining access to the site.

The Federal Magistrate Judges Association

http://www.fmja.org/ The Federal Magistrate Judges Association is a national association consisting of United States

Magistrate Judges.

Judicial Yellow Book

Available in hard copy in the CDO. Includes contact information for all federal and state

appellate court judges, as well as some state trial court judges, as well information regarding

judges’ law clerks.

LexisNexis and Westlaw

Judicial Appointments and Nominations:

Lexis contains an extensive library of legal and non-legal trade papers, magazines and

newspapers and is an excellent source of articles about a particular judge, court, or

case. It is particularly helpful in finding information on newly appointed or nominated

judges. West Legal Directory offers office profiles and profiles of individual full-time judges

from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

Judicial Legal Writings (Aside from Opinions):

Search the U.S. Law Reviews and Journals, Combined database.

Judicial Opinions: Lexis and Westlaw allow a researcher to find opinions written by a specific judge.

National Center for State Courts http://www.ncsc.org/. See also http://www.whohascourtjobs.com, a publication from the

National Center for State Courts with state-by-state listings of support staff and staff attorney jobs.

The Guide to State Judicial Clerkship Procedures

http://www.vermontlaw.edu/careers/judicial-clerkship-guide

This Guide, published by the Vermont Public Interest Action Project, Vermont Law School,

includes current information regarding application procedures, timing, salary and hiring process

in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The website is password protected.

Please contact the CDO for the username and password.

APPENDIX 2 - ADDRESSING YOUR COVER LETTER

To properly address your cover letters, use the following as a guide:

Chief Judge, Courts of Appeals FEDERAL COURTS

Judge or Senior Judge, Courts of Appeals Address: The Honorable [Full name]

Chief Judge [where applicable] or Senior Judge [where applicable]

United States Court of Appeals

for the [Nth] Circuit

[Address, with zip code]

Salutation: Dear Judge [Last name]:

Close: Respectfully,

Chief Judge, District Courts

Judge or Senior Judge, District Courts Address: The Honorable [Full Name]

Chief Judge [where applicable] or Senior Judge [where applicable]

United States District Court

for the [Southern, etc.] District of [State]

[Address, with zip code]

Salutation: Dear Judge [Last Name]:

Close: Respectfully,

Magistrate Judge, District Courts

Address: The Honorable [Full Name]

United States Magistrate Judge

[Address, with zip code]

Salutation: Dear Judge [Last Name]:

Close: Respectfully,

Follow similar format for Chief Judges and Judges on other Federal Courts

STATE COURTS *Court names may vary state by state

Chief Justice, State Supreme Court

Address: The Honorable [Full Name]

Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court of [State Name]

[Address, with zip code]

Salutation: Dear Chief Justice:

Close: Respectfully,

Justice, State Supreme Court Address: The Honorable [Full Name]

Justice of the Supreme Court of [State Name]

[Address, with zip code]

Salutation: Dear Justice [Last Name]:

Close: Respectfully,

Chief Judge or Judge, State Court of Appeals

Address: The Honorable [Full Name]

Chief Judge [where applicable]

Court of Appeals for the State of [State Name] *This is applicable where the

[Address, with zip code] highest court in the state is

Salutation: Dear Judge [Last Name]: the Court of Appeals.

Close: Respectfully,

Chief Judge, State Intermediate Appellate Court (District Court of Appeal in Florida)

Address: The Honorable [Full Name]

Chief Judge

[State Name] [Nth] District Court of Appeal

[Address, with zip code]

Salutation: Dear Judge [Last Name]:

Close: Respectfully,

Judge, State Intermediate Appellate Court (District Court of Appeal in Florida) Address: The Honorable [Full Name]

[State Name] [Nth] District Court of Appeal

[Address, with zip code]

Salutation: Dear Judge [Last Name]:

Close: Respectfully,

APPENDIX 3 - SAMPLE COVER LETTER

TO BE USED AS A GUIDE ONLY

[INSERT YOUR ADDRESS]

January 20, 2020

The Honorable Melanie R. Newman

United States District Court

for the Eastern District of Florida

100 Clerkship Way, Room 12-6

Clerky, Florida 33000

Dear Judge Newman:

I am a first-year student at the University of Miami School of Law and am very interested in

obtaining an internship in your chambers for the summer of 2020. I hope to work as a judicial

intern in order to learn broadly about the law and to hone my legal writing and research skills.

As noted in my resume, I graduated cum laude from the University of Florida with a degree in

International Business. I honed my writing, editing, researching, and investigating skills through

numerous papers and a final thesis. The final thesis required extensive research of a multi-

national organization, its operations, successes, and failures in the global marketplace. My

academic experiences have taught me to work both effectively and diligently within strict

deadlines. My enjoyment of research and writing has continued with my legal education at the

University of Miami, where I earned an A in my first-semester Legal Communication and

Research Skills course.

Prior to law school, I interned at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office assisting an Assistant

State Attorney in the Felony Division. I also volunteered at the Neighborhood Legal Services

Program, where I assisted attorneys who represented indigent clients in landlord/tenant cases.

Both of these experiences helped solidify my desire to pursue a legal career. I would welcome

the opportunity to put my research and writing skills and prior work experience to use in your

chambers.

I have enclosed my resume and transcript for your review and I would appreciate the opportunity

to discuss my qualifications with you in greater detail. Should you wish to schedule an interview

please contact me at sblack@gmail.com or (305) 111 -1111. Thank you for your time and

consideration.

Respectfully,

Susan Black

Enclosures

APPENDIX 4 - SAMPLE COVER LETTER SHOWING LOCATION TIES

TO BE USED AS A GUIDE ONLY

[INSERT YOUR ADDRESS]

December 15, 2019

The Honorable Melanie R. Newman

United States District Court

for the Central District of New York

100 Clerkship Way

Clerky, New York 33000

Dear Judge Newman:

I am a first-year student at the University of Miami School of Law interested in obtaining an

internship in your chambers for the summer of 2020. I was born and raised in New York and

plan to return there for the summer. Upon my graduation from law school, I hope to settle in

New York permanently, and would very much welcome the opportunity to work in the legal

community there this summer.

I graduated magna cum laude from George Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts

degree in History. My undergraduate coursework allowed me to develop critical thinking skills,

and strong research and writing abilities. In addition to excelling academically, I also served on

the Executive Cabinet of the Student Association for two years. I was honored to receive a

scholarship in recognition of my leadership in ensuring that students have access to resources to

support physical and mental health issues.

Prior to law school, I gained extensive practical experience as an intern for a charitable

foundation. There, I researched and reviewed applicants and published several newsletters and an

annual report. I enjoy the creative process involved in analyzing issues and producing written

work product. I am confident of my ability to successfully meet the demands of a fast-paced and

diverse working environment as a judicial intern in your chambers.

Enclosed please find a copy of my resume and a writing sample. My first semester grades from

law school are not yet available, but I will forward my transcript to you as soon as it has been

released. Thank you in advance for considering my application.

Respectfully,

Susan Black

Enclosures

APPENDIX 5 - SAMPLE WRITING SAMPLE COVER PAGES

[Sample format where writing sample has not been excerpted]

SUSAN BLACK

1234 Isle Drive, Apt. 205, Miami, FL 33133 • sblack@gmail.com • (305) 111 -1111

WRITING SAMPLE

I prepared the attached memorandum while working as a summer associate at Smith and Smith.

The memorandum examines whether the fees charged by commercial tax preparers for “instant

refund loans” violates the state usury laws in Florida, Georgia or Alabama.

To preserve client confidentiality, all individual names, locations and other identifying facts have

been changed. I have received permission from the firm to use this memorandum as a writing

sample. The writing sample is in its original format and has only minimal grammatical edits

after review by my supervising partner.

[Sample format where the writing sample has been excerpted]

SUSAN BLACK

1234 Isle Drive, Apt. 205, Miami, FL 33133 • sblack@gmail.com • (305) 111 -1111

WRITING SAMPLE

The following Memorandum of Law in Support of Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment

was the final assignment in my first year, second semester legal writing course. I earned an “A”

on the memorandum. The memorandum is my own work product and has not been substantially

edited by any other person.

In its original format, the memorandum is 25 pages long. For the purpose of serving as a writing

sample, and as a means of reducing its length, this submission includes only the Introduction,

Sections A and C of the Argument, and the Conclusion, so that the memorandum is now 15

pages long. A copy of the original memorandum, in its entirety, is available upon request. (If

you received an “A” in the course, you can include that as well.)

APPENDIX 6 - SAMPLE QUESTIONS A JUDGE OR CLERK MIGHT ASK DURING

A JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP INTERVIEW

• What do you hope to gain from a judicial internship?

• Why do you want to intern for me/Judge ?

• Why do you want to intern for the (district, magistrate, bankruptcy, etc.) court?

• Do you enjoy writing?

• What is your writing style?

• What is your research strategy?

• What are your plans after graduation?

• Why do you want to intern in this city, state? To which other judges have you applied?

• What qualities do you possess that make you an attractive candidate?

• What are some of your favorite law school courses?

• What areas of law interest you?

• Why did you go to law school?

• What do you believe is the role of a judge?

• What do you believe is the role of a judicial intern?

• What do you do for fun?

• Where do you see yourself in five years?

• What did you write about for your law review/journal topic? Why did you

choose that topic?

• Tell me about your work experiences.

• Do you like working independently or with others?

• Can you impartially draft an opinion even if you disagree with the holding or reasoning?

APPENDIX 7 - SAMPLE QUESTIONS TO ASK THE JUDGE OR CLERKS DURING

A JUDICIAL INTERNSHIP INTERVIEW

• How is a typical case handled from start to finish?

• How involved are the interns in preparing drafts of the Judge’s opinions?

• What other documents do interns draft?

• Do interns assist in administrative work or other projects for the Judge (e.g. judicial

conference committee work, writing speeches or articles, preparing materials for classes

taught by the Judge)?

• Do interns have the opportunity to observe court proceedings?

• How much time is spent working in chambers versus in the courtroom?

• What is the size of the docket? What types of cases are on the docket? Do certain

types of cases predominate? (Note: this information is available for many federal

courts on LexisNexis’ CourtLink.)

• How is the work divided among the clerks and interns?

• How much interaction does the Judge have with the interns?

• How much opportunity is there for the Judge to discuss the cases and the law with

the interns?

• What is the timing for extending offers?

APPENDIX 8 - FORMER LAW CLERKS AMONG OUR LAW FACULTY FACULTY MEMBER COURT

David Abraham U.S. Court of Appeals – Third Circuit

Jill Barton Florida Third District Court of Appeal

Ricardo Bascuas U.S. District Court – Southern District of Florida

William Blatt U.S. Court of Appeals – D.C. Circuit

Sergio Campos U.S. Court of Appeals – First Circuit

U.S. District Court – District of Massachusetts

Kathleen Claussen U.S. Court of Appeals – First Circuit

U.S. District Court – District of Massachusetts

Charlton Copeland Constitutional Court of South Africa

U.S. Court of Appeals – Sixth Circuit

Caroline Mala Corbin U.S. Court of Appeals – Fourth Circuit

Andrew B. Dawson U.S. Court of Appeals – Third Circuit

U.S. Bankruptcy Court – District of Delaware

Michele DeStefano U.S. District Court – District of Massachusetts

Andrew Elmore U.S. District Court – Eastern District of New York

Marc Fajer U.S. Court of Appeals – Ninth Circuit

Zanita Fenton U.S. District Court – Eastern District of New York

Michael Froomkin U.S. Court of Appeals – D.C. Circuit

U.S. District Court – Northern District of Illinois

Michael Graham U.S. District Court – Southern District of New York

Patrick Gudridge California Supreme Court

Stanley Langbein U.S. Court of Appeals – Fifth Circuit

Caroline Bettinger-López U.S. District Court – Eastern District of New York

Martha Mahoney U.S. Court of Appeals – Ninth Circuit

JoNel Newman U.S. Court of Appeals – Eleventh Circuit

Scott Rogers U.S. Court of Appeals – Eleventh Circuit

U.S. District Court – Northern District of Florida

Florida Supreme Court

Laurence M. Rose U.S. District Court – District of Vermont

Keith Rosenn U.S. Court of Appeals – Second Circuit

Andres Sawicki U.S. Court of Appeals – Second Circuit

Stephen Schnably U.S. Court of Appeals – Third Circuit

Rachel Stabler U.S. Court of Appeals – Eleventh Circuit

Scott Sundby U.S. Court of Appeals – Eleventh Circuit

Marcia Narine Weldon Supreme Court of New Jersey

William Widen U.S. Court of Appeals – First Circuit